MCPS News

Please join us in congratulating the Teachers of the Year for MCPS! If you see one of these celebrated teachers below, please be sure and let them know how proud we are of them and their colleagues.

Baker Elementary School, Kaitlyn Holt, PreK - 4th

Battle Creek Elementary School, Beverly Richardson, PreK - 4th

Battle Creek Middle School, Andrea Myers, 5th – 8th

Brown Elementary School, Jennifer Potts, PreK - 4th

Central High School, Heather Higdon, 9th – 12th

Cox Middle School, Sheryl Yvette Sweeney, 5th – 8th

Culleoka Unit School, Becky Hendrix, PreK - 4th

Culleoka Unit School, Angela Mischke, 5th – 8th

Culleoka Unit School, Emily Fowler, 9th – 12th

Hampshire Unit School, Bethany Ring, PreK - 4th

Hampshire Unit School, Beth Marks, 5th – 8th

Hampshire Unit School, Webb Williams, 9th – 12th

Highland Park Elementary School, Tiffani Horne, PreK - 4th

Horace O. Porter ALC, Melissa Todd, 5th – 8th

Howell Elementary School, Linda Padron, PreK - 4th

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, Audrey Brown, PreK - 4th

Mt. Pleasant Middle School, Audrey Bryant, 5th – 8th

Mt. Pleasant High School, Dr. Jessica Weaver, 9th – 12th

Riverside Elementary School, Jessica Crain, PreK - 4th

Santa Fe Unit School, Rachel Kennedy, PreK - 4th

Santa Fe Unit School, Vanessa Green, 5th – 8th

Santa Fe Unit School, Jerry (Fino) Finocchiaro, 9th – 12th

Spring Hill Elementary School, Becky England, PreK - 4th

Spring Hill Middle School, Armecia Bunch, 5th – 8th

Spring Hill High School, Stephen Dotson, 9th – 12th

Virtual Academy of Maury County, Elaina Peariso, 9th – 12th

Whitthorne Middle School, Sarah Carey, 5th – 8th

Woodard Elementary School, Jill VanWormer, PreK - 4th

Wright Elementary School, Hannah McGee, PreK - 4th

Written by Landen Secrest

Sophomore in Belmont University’s Journalism and Broadcasting Program

Riverside Elementary School student 2008-2013

“When you touch the life of a child, it’s there forever.” -- Alicia McGuire

On Friday, Dec. 16, 414 students at Riverside Elementary School experienced something they will likely never forget.

For the fifth annual “A Shaq Christmas”, the Shaq Mason Foundation paid a visit to the school that borders the Duck River and changed a few lives in the process.

Providing each student with a full Christmas gift bag, the foundation sent every child home with something to smile about.

“One of our students came up to me and said, ‘this was the best day ever,’” RES Assistant Principal Regina Peery said. “I really think this is something that they’ll always remember.”

Peery has known Shaq Mason since his days at McDowell Elementary, the school where the foundation began its ‘give back’ effort.

Mason is now in his eighth NFL season and is a two-time Super Bowl champion, but he hasn’t forgotten his hometown.

“Shaq’s motto is always ‘it’s a blessing to be a blessing’ and he really stands by that,” Alicia McGuire, the mother of Mason, said. “He’s been abundantly blessed, so he wants to bless others.”

Riverside is the latest school to be blessed by the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard.

The school’s students were welcomed into the cafeteria by members of the community who served double duty as Santa’s elves.

From there, Mason greeted the entire student body via video, teasing a surprise.

Afterwards, students were escorted into the gym and separated by grade level as they were each assigned a personal gift bag.

Inside those bags were tablets, dolls, action figures, Nerf guns, candy, blankets, and other types of toys, depending on their ages.

Ray Brawner, the youth pastor at Grace Church of Nazarene and member of the foundation, recalls the amazing atmosphere inside the gym.

“Just to see the excitement on the kids’ faces when they walked in and to see them as they opened gifts, it’s incredible,” Brawner said. “To see someone like Shaq use sports and his talent to bless kids all over Maury County is truly an amazing thing.”

First-year superintendent of Maury County Public Schools, Lisa Ventura couldn’t put into words what she saw.

“It’s so emotionally uplifting, we witnessed Christmas in an hour at Riverside,” Ventura said. “As a new superintendent, I can’t say enough about the Shaq Mason foundation and what they do for us and how much it means to have one of Maury County’s own do this.”

Ventura realizes that Shaq provides ‘the only Christmas’ for some kids and looks forward to the future with MCPS and the foundation.

MCPS athletic director Chris Poynter is also a member of the foundation, and he remains happy to be a part of something special.

“This is what it’s all about,” Poynter said. “We’re vehicles, hands and feet of God, but we’re also executing Shaq’s vision and mission.”

For Poynter and the foundation, serving is at the core, and it’s all about giving back.

“We know with this population of young people, they come from all different backgrounds, and some of them had a Christmas like they’ve never had before,” Poynter said.

Peery knows how much the experience meant to Riverside.

“I really can’t put this into words,” Peery said as she was moved to tears. “It’s not only about the gifts, it’s about the example Shaq sets and his characteristics. We’re trying to instill those same qualities into our kids here at Riverside.”

RES Principal Reggie Holmes is thankful for Mason and his foundation.

“I think this shows that the community can come together and help out each other, it’s awesome to see Shaq Mason’s foundation come to help Riverside out because so many of our kids do lack in this time of year,” Holmes said.

Thanks to Mason, this Christmas will be different for those kids.

“Some of our parents have to decide whether they want to buy gifts or pay bills around this time; I’m glad that this year they won’t have to make that choice,” Holmes said.

And no worries, Shaq Mason will continue to bless kids in Maury County, McGuire said.

“He wants to continue this year after year as long as God allows him,” McGuire said. “The goal is to keep enlightening and touching the lives of children.”

Listen to the December 21 of the Big Yellow School Bus hosted by Jack Cobb featuring the Shaq Mason Very Merry Christmas, Superintendent Lisa Ventura, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Eric Perryman, and Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Keith Stacey.

Above L to R: MCPS Director of Communications Jack Cobb, MCPS Assistant Superintendent of Operations Eric Perryman, WKOM/WKRM Radio Station Owner Delk Kennedy, Radio Station General Manager Clayton Harris, MCPS Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Keith Stacey, and Maury County Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Ventura

Winter weather tips from our friends at Maury County Office Of Emergency Management

*Maury County Public Schools neither endorses nor sponsors the organization or activity represented in this article. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.

New Years' Eve Center of Hope Mule Drop, 8 pm Downtown Columbia. A limited number of VIP tickets are available, which include finger foods and drink tickets to a private event at Southern Tre' and VIP standing/viewing for the Drop.

Winter Break

Winter break is from Monday, Dec. 19, 2022, through Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, with no school for students.

Professional Development Day

Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, no school for students.

Return to School from Winter Break

Students will return to school on Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Board of Education January 3, 2023, Regular Board Meeting at HO Porter

Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 6:00 pm
Watch the Live Video Feed | On-Demand Videos

Elementary Schools: 8:15 am to 3:15 pm

Middle and High Schools: 7:45 am to 2:45 pm

All Mt. Pleasant Schools: 7:45 am to 2:45 pm.

Culleoka Unit School: 7:45 am to 2:45 pm
Hampshire Unit School: 7:45 am to 2:45 pm

Santa Fe Unit School: 7:45 am to 2:45 pm

Please be careful in school zones!

Visit here to view all past issues of the MCPS News!

Maury County Public Schools (MCPS) is a pre-K through 12 school district in Southern Middle Tennessee operating 21 schools, one virtual academy, one non-traditional high school, and one alternative program. MCPS employs more than 900 teachers and 500 staff members who serve over 13,000 students. We will provide the educational instruction, tools, and environment for every child to succeed in LIFE as Life-long Learners, Independent Thinkers, Fearless Innovators, and Exemplary Citizens. Our vision: Educating every child for LIFE!

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Email: jcobb@mauryk12.org
Website: https://www.mauryk12.org
Location: 501 West 8th Street, Columbia, TN 38401, USA
Phone: 931-388-8403
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Twitter: @MauryCoSchools